By Andrew Macdonald
- MacPolitics: Tory Chatter: ‘There’s a Path for A Conservative In Halifax Mayoral Race
Chatter among some Tories is that the race to become Mayor of Halifax could represent a path for a Tory partisan.
There are no official contenders for the job to replace the outgoing three-term mayor, Mike Savage. Speculation is that Southend Regional Councillor Waye Mason will enter the race.
Three-term Trudeau MP Andy Fillmore is mulling over a campaign, while regional councillor Pam Lovelace is considering a campaign for mayor.
There is one obstacle for Mason and Fillmore: They live in the Old City of Halifax, and only once has a Haligonian become mayor of Halifax Regional Municipality: 1996, Walter “Goog” Fitzgerald.
Former mayor, Peter Kelly was from Bedford, and Savage hails from Dartmouth.
There could also be an obstacle for Fillmore, who for three terms in Ottawa, has been closely aligned with Trudeau, who is lagging behind in the polls.
Whether HRM voters punish Fillmore for his Trudeau ties remains to be seen. But, Fillmore has voted on increases in gas taxes via carbon taxes – and that could be a deciding factor in the eyes of voters.
Yesterday, I reported Fillmore is talking to Top Tories for their support. Savage was a Liberal MP who had many Top Tories on his three mayoral campaigns.
Some Tory chatter is that the race for mayor could be wide open and represent a path for a well-known Conservative contender.
Halifax City Hall. (The Notebook photo).
Some Tories are uneasy about supporting Liberal Fillmore. “There is a path for somebody who is not named Andy & Waye, and the political winds have shifted a lot, and both Andy and Waye have issues they will have to overcome. With Andy who is so tied to the Trudeau government that is so unpopular, a lot of people will have a hard time seeing past that, and I know a lot of Conservatives have a hard time seeing past that,” says a Tory insider.
Mason could lose votes among Tories for his battles against the Tory Tim Houston government – recent polling shows Houston leading in HRM – votes that Mason needs to win the HRM mayoralty.
It is interesting to note that regional councillor Pam Lovelace took in the recent Tory Pierre Poilievre Halifax rally – suggesting she is courting Tory supporters for her mayoral bid.
There is a lot of chatter that Darryl Johnson might run for mayor. He resides in the Dartmouth-Cole Harbour neighbourhood. He is a well-known Tory supporter, although does not have a metro Halifax household name.
Darryl Johnson is mulling a candidacy to become Mayor of Halifax. (Contributed).
He has experience as a candidate as he ran for the Houston team in 2021. He works in the NS Community College system.
